When one leaves the house, the car or other location, which may have a lock on the door, we often, but not every time, want to leave that door locked. When humans perform a task repeatedly often enough, the task becomes so automatic that they may not even be consciously aware of doing it. As a result, when a person leaves the house, they often try to think back and wonder if we really locked the door or not. Often, we return to check the status of the lock, wasting considerable time. If we do not go back and check, we worry about the lock and become less productive.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,120 discloses a remote controlled anti-theft system for transportation vehicles allows the user to easily determine at will if a faulty door position sensor or an open door will inhibit proper operation of the anti-theft system by pressing the lock button on the remote transmitter in a predetermined sequence. A first lock code from the remote transmitter initiates a locking and arming sequence of the anti-theft system. A second lock code received within a predetermined time of the first lock code causes an audible verification to be produced identifying whether the anti-theft system is successfully arming or whether a door ajar or faulty door sensor is preventing the anti-theft system from arming.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,703,919 discloses a method of confirming a lock button pressed condition for a remote device associated with a vehicle remote keyless entry system. The method includes setting a counter to zero then, continuously monitoring the remote device for a remote device button activation. If a lock button activation is detected, the counter is increment by one. Otherwise, if an unlock button activation is detected, the counter is reset to zero. When the counter is greater than one an indicator on the remote device is activated in response to the detection of either a lock button or unlock button activation. In one embodiment, the indicator is an LED which is activated only when, upon detecting a lock button activation, a lock button activation was immediately previously detected. If at any time after initial lock button activation, the unlock button is activated, the LED indicator will not illuminate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,259,362 discloses a system (10) for a vehicle (12), wherein the system includes transmitter components (26, 28), located at the vehicle, that are operable to send communication that conveys a vehicle system status. A portable receiver unit (14) is operable to receive the communication that conveys the vehicle system status. An operator (76) of the vehicle (12) carries the portable receiver unit (14) upon leaving the vehicle. A controller (22) senses a condition indicative of the vehicle operator (76) leaving the vehicle (12) and enables the communication from the transmitter components (26, 28) to the portable receiver unit (14) in response to the sensed condition indicative of the vehicle operator (76) leaving the vehicle (12). Preferably, a device (44) enables operation of the portable receiver unit (14) in response to the sensed condition indicative of the vehicle operator (76) leaving the vehicle (12).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,282 discloses a memory device having the function of detecting the locking or unlocking condition of a remote controller comprises a battery, a key circuit a memory unit, a light emitting element, a testing key, an encoding unit, an infrared ray or a high frequency emitting driving circuit, etc. The positive end of the battery is connected with the power source (V+) of the memory unit. The lock key and unlock key of the key circuit are connected with the respective input end of the memory unit and the encoding unit. The output end of the memory unit is connected with one end of the light emitting element. Another end of the light emitting element is connected with one connection of the testing key and another end of the testing key is grounded. By the action of the testing key, the condition of the remote controller may inform the user. That is, if it is in a lock condition, then the light emitting element will light, while if it is in a “unlock” condition, then the light emitting element will extinguish. Therefore, by the special circuit design, the user may be informed about the message of the remote controller without returning to the original location to know the lock (or unlock) condition of the controller, such as the anti-theft device of a car or a motorcycle, an iron scrolling door, or a host without any setting function.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,429,773 discloses a system for remotely communicating with a vehicle including a wireless device, a security gateway, an on-board computer coupled to one or more sensors or controls, and a web interface that provides for graphical interface between the vehicle and a remote individual. More particularly, a vehicle owner uses the Internet to directly communicate with the vehicle and, using this linkage, can monitor vehicle status (e.g., oil level and quality), read vehicle statistics such as odometer reading and interrogate other sensors as sampled by the on-board computer. Preferably, the owner can also change security functions such as door lock, alarm on, ignition kill “on,” and similar functions using this web interface. To assist any vehicle owner with communication with a vehicle, the on-board components or owner's remote browser preferably permit selective downloading of skins, such that a wide variety of customized interfaces may be used to interact with the vehicle, no matter the owner's level of knowledge and sophistication with the vehicle.
The current art describes inventions related to indicating statuses for motor vehicle conditions. There remains a need to for a status indicator system for any type condition in any environment in addition to motor vehicles.